I would stick with public schools, at least until high school. My mom was a teacher at my public elementary and I know first-hand that those teachers are very dedicated, plus they are closely monitored and held to strict standards mandated by the state (well, in the US anyway). I work in a private school, and although the teachers are technically supposed to be submitting lesson plans, no one really does, no one is really regulating what's being taught or even monitoring how the teachers teach...it's kind of a free-for-all, definitely not for my children

As someone who has gone to an all girl boarding school, it kind of bugs me that people who haven't says how wrong and bad it is. With the work load a lot of people have they won't see their kids during the weeks anyway (they instead hire a nanny) so why not send the children to boarding school? My father's job took him away for weeks at a time, my mother had three children at home (two teenage girls and one little boy) and they decided to send us to oldest to BS, but they asked us first and we wanted to. I said it already, but I loved going to an all girl school, it was wonderful and really built self confidence (basically I want to say everything @sarahmezz said in her (long) post, but I won't repeat it all). We interacted with boys very often, as Sarah said it's normal to have a "brother school" and we did. We met up for several activities during the week, and at the weekends. We were not ignorant when it came to boys. It was of course interesting starting university and seeing boys everyday, but not to a level that I became a blubbering little tween. The student body consisted mostly of upper middle/upper class girls, but my best friend came in on a full scholarship, and she was a working class girl from Sheffield who excelled in music. It also kind of bugs me that everyone seem to think that if you're in the upper classes you're ignorant to people who are poorer; that's simply not true.

I do agree that education should be free, but I am not going to offer up my child as a guinea pig. If I want to send my kids to state schools, I'll just move to Scandinavia where they're really good and free.

Good luck, Goldie, I hope you'll find a wonderful school that suits your little Bugsy!

I have been state educated all my life (state primary, secondary and sixth form). My Secondary & Sixth form was one of the best in the country and many people in my year, including myself, felt very pressured to go and do academic subjects at university. There was little or no provision for those who wanted to work upon leaving school or undertake vocational training. I am doing my degree to become a midwife but my school pressured me a lot to consider medicine as it was seen as a better pathway. I'm glad I stuck to my guns and chose midwifery. I also knew a lot of children from private schools and they were put under even greater pressure to attain and go on to prestigious establishments. One of my friends wanted to be a plumber but instead took a degree in history because his private school wouldn't support him to get an apprenticeship. My future children will go to the local state schools and will get any extra support they require from home.

@goldielocks That’s what I thought And I agree- I don’t see those jobs as less favourable at all (I come from a whole family of farmers and fishermen) but I can imagine that some parents forking out over £30,000 per school year wouldn’t be impressed if their kid went into a job like that.

@ottilie And as someone that went to state schools, it bugs me that some people that didn't look down upon them, think they can’t achieve academically, think they have fewer opportunities & all the other stuff people have said.

I can’t remember if I said outright that single sex boarding schools are wrong and bad but I apologise if I did In my opinion they’re just not that great. I get that you went that way and it turned out great for you, but I went through it the state-funded way and it turned out great for me too, so naturally we’re both going to stick to our guns and want the same for our kids/possible future kids

P.S. What exactly are these opportunities that kids in private schools get? I want to know what I missed out on!

My state, California, is 41st in the nation for public education. That's why I would rather not send my kid to public school. If things are different in 12-15 years (when future hypothetical children will be entering school), then I'll revisit my decision.